It has been a while since the putridity of the veteran Swedish vibe struck from the camp of MAIM, which is basically a duo of musicians that are uncompromising towards their Death Metal heritage. Nearly six years passed since the band made a release, whether personal or professional reasons, it doesn't matter, they are back to continue from where they left off. Keeping it up with the Dutch extreme Metal dominion, Soulseller Records, MAIM issued "Ornaments Of Severity", substantiating that nothing has really changed in their perception of how Death Metal should be written and played out while still maintaining it as relevant for nowadays demanding market.

Let's face it, old school Death Metal will be in the market, judging by the numerous releases dished out year after year, and with the rising of the smaller independent labels preserving enough capacity for underground Death Metal bands to stick their heads out. MAIM has been a member of this unstoppable wave for quite some time, bordering on the same musical outputs while even cultivating a similar sound pattern that became the signature sound of early 90s Swedish Death Metal decades ago. So what do Sandberg & Ottosson have to offer through "Ornaments Of Severity"? Pure filth, carnage, onslaught and an utter devotion to their country's old Death Metal scene, a continuance to GRAVE / DISMEMBER / ENTRAILS / EVOCATION / PAGANIZER yet finding an adjoint gruesomeness of British and American acts such as early PARADISE LOST and DEATH / AUTOPSY respectively.

Once again I was pounded by the dangerous conjunction of rancid Death Metal, spewing surmounts of gore and occultism themes, along with melancholic extreme Doom Metal, a kind of convergence that has been able to impress me for some time. Within "Ornaments Of Severity", this twisted relation between the subgenres bore fruit, casting its spell through the agonizing melodies and mid-tempo tremolo action riffing, changes of tempo from fast paced commotion to drenching in the mud kind of stomping ground, putting the band's malevolence to work. The tormented endeavor of "The Judas Cradle" was the first to butcher its way through its mysticism, as if taken from the "Lost Paradise" album of the British icons, yet with a formidable vocal line and dirtier sound. The doomed epic closer "Sepulchral Haze", is one of the better assimilations of the band's entire arsenal of weapons, the swift change of pace did its magic once again. "The Gnarling Dead" might indulge the thought of a secret tune out of DEATH's "Leprosy", especially due to its opening guitar harmonies and general riff of salutation for the dead. However, it developed into being a bestial monstrosity on its own accord.

Essentially, the spirit lives on through "Ornaments Of Severity", an album which has my respect. It shares some of the finest moments of early Death Metal. Though it has its downfalls, it is recommended for the old school mongers and every Metalhead that has the urge for something old and rotting, in a good way.